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Letters to the Editor

I've worked in a factory for 32 years. They provided me with a pension and health insurance. The health care premiums are deducted from my pension.

The first year after retirement premiums were less than $50 a month. Gradually they went up but the last three years they went up $1,700.

When the cost of health insurance exceeds my pension, I will be out of insurance. Most of the increases came after Obama Care became law. If anybody is satisfied with this insurance law please write and tell me. How I can get in on it, but I will not hold my hand out for others to pay for it.

If Obama Care remains the law of the land, I will be known as, quoting Hillary Clinton: "One of the deplorables" for I will not vote Democrat.

Gary Hovde

Pepin

Concerned constituent feels she deserved better in court

TO THE EDITOR

During a recent court appearance in front of (Pierce County Court) Commissioner Gavic, it quickly became apparent to not only me and my lawyer, but to the witnesses as well, that he prefers to perform victim blaming, and let off a known domestic violence abuser off with a "slap on the wrist."

Why do I have to change my entire life around to better accommodate the abuser? I thought this was the 21st century, not an era that predates women's rights.

To top it off the commissioner was far harsher to my female attorney than to the male attorney.

There was an injunction out, a restraining order against the abuser, but I was coerced to drop it in order to make proceedings go more smoothly with the abuser. My daughter and I deserve more respect than this!

Molly Murphy

Ellsworth

Bay City violates rights

TO THE EDITOR

I was reading some of the writings of John Adams recently, and it made me reflect on the travesty in Bay City.

"Property must be secured, or liberty cannot exist." That founding principle has lost popularity, as did the founding documents, and given way to "Take from him, and give to me" greed. What liberty?

"If "Thou shalt not covet" and "Thou shalt not steal" were not commandments of Heaven, they must be made inviolable precepts in every society, before it can be civilized, or made free."

As I have proclaimed publicly, many times over the past decade, "Government is force." Did you see the pictures of armed Sheriff deputies? What freedom?

"The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence." The law of God has been relegated to obscurity. Christianity is now just an equal offering on the buffet of religious choice. Men exercise autonomous rule and citizens obey. What "Pursuit of happiness" and whose "life" enjoys rights?

The silence of the average Bay City resident screams "Obey!"

Scott Thomson

Maiden Rock

Grove Street property

TO THE EDITOR

In the July 4 Article "Pierce County Board talks parking" it was reported that the board voted unanimously to endorse the idea of a parking lot. This is not correct reporting of the meeting or the vote that occurred.

I voted against proceeding with this proposal at this meeting.

From an employee parking standpoint this may not be a necessary use of county funds. Later this summer many county employees will be reporting not to work at the courthouse, but rather at the new jail in a different location. County vehicles that previously used parking spaces at the courthouse will also be moved to a different location.

The combination of less usage and more spots available indicated to me that it would be wise to examine need under the new conditions before further committing county resources and funds to this project. The 90-spot employee parking lot, as proposed, could end up being a duplication of unnecessary parking and expenses that could be saved.

If we examine the proposal not as a 90-spot employee parking lot but rather as a fairgrounds parking lot expansion it does still not address wants in the most efficient manner. The Pierce County Fair is held in the summer, when other large institutional parking lots in the city are under used.

We can gain far more than 90 parking spots for the Fair for far less cost by cooperating with other government units and institutions that have unused parking during the Fair. If Fair parking a truly a shortage then a shuttle bus from unused parking lots is far cheaper than building a parking lot for Fair overflow on a handful of days a year.

Ben Plunkett

Pierce County Supervisor District 5

River Falls

HPC thanks you

TO THE EDITOR

The Hunger Prevention Council of Pierce County and our community pantries send many thanks to the mail carriers and county residents who worked hard and generously supported the 25th Letter Carriers' National "Stamp Out Hunger" food drive.

This year marked the 25th year of "Stamp Out Hunger," the largest one-day food drive in the nation, where residents leave bags of nonperishable food out for letter carriers to pick up and then drop off at community pantries. The drive is a nationwide effort to provide food to local pantries and food banks that typically have depleted stocks entering the summer months. Over 17,000 pounds of food was donated this year to Pierce County food pantries.

The Letter Carriers were awesome, in addition to their regular duties they hauled thousands of pounds of food to pantries all over the County. They were thrilled to help and we sincerely appreciate their hard work. It was also pleasure to work with the post offices.

Summers are tough on families who no longer receive free or reduced school breakfast and lunch programs and pantries see an increase in families with children over the summer months as a result.

Pierce County food pantries serve low income families and individuals in Ellsworth, Plum City, River Falls, Prescott, Spring Valley and Elmwood. For more information about our community pantries, visit www.hungerpreventioncouncil.com.

Jeff Bealles

Executive Director of the Hunger Prevention Council of Pierce County

Deceptive Chinese practices

TO THE EDITOR

In fulfilling one of his many campaign promises, President Trump moved in April to have the U.S. Department of Commerce launch a trade investigation into Chinese companies illegally dumping steel into the U.S. market for the sole purpose of putting American foundries out of business.

Known as a "section 232" investigation, the Department of Commerce is looking into reports that the Chinese government has for years been underwriting their steel companies with massive subsidies which allow their producers to actually sell steel in the U.S. market at below cost. While you may think this is good at first glance, the reality is that China subsidizing their steel exports is resulting in the loss of American jobs and a serious threat to our national defense.

In fact, retired Brigadier General John Adams has said of steel dumping, "As capacity declines we get into a space where the future of [the steel industry] to be able to provide for defense is going to be compromised. What we're trying to avoid is the diminution of our capacity to the point where it means we can't rely on American domestic production for things we do not want foreign producers to do."

America needs to produce our own steel for our bridges, skyscrapers and most importantly our military, I support President Trump's investigations and look forward to him ending this deceptive Chinese practice.

Sarah J. Nigbor serves as a regional editor for RiverTown Multimedia, a position she began in April 2017. She joined RiverTown Multimedia in October 2013 as a news reporter for the New Richmond News, before being appointed editor of the Pierce County Herald in Febraury 2015. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Spanish and French in 2001. She completed a minor in journalism in 2004.